Denver, Colorado
Denver, the capital city of the state of Colorado, is located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Known as the Mile High City for its elevation of 5,280 feet, it sits at the intersection of three major Interstate Highways - 1-25 running northsouth, and I-76 and I-70 both running east-west. The Denver metropolitan area includes a number of cities, all of which are positioned around the city proper and add to the sprawling urban mass. The business district is located in the heart of downtown Denver, near the intersection of 1-25,1-76 and 1-70. From there,the other cities, mostly suburbs, spread out more or less evenly, until an area roughly 25 miles square is covered, although a case could easily be ma& to extend the Metro Area another 20 miles to the Northeast to include the city of Boulder. The population of the Metro area is roughly 1.7 million, of which almost 1.2 million reside in the suburbs, leaving the city itself to the lower income groups and businesses. Those inner city areas are beginning to suffer a great deal from gang-related activity, and gang violence, including drive-by shootings, is on the rise. Outside the metro area, one finds to the east farmland and ranches, and to the west, the Rocky Mountains. This juxtaposition of the urban center with the agricultural hinterland allows Vampires who, out of necessity or preference, would rather feed on non-human blood, an ample supply available within a 20-minute drive and at low risk. Indeed, even within the city, numerous residences provide for the stabling of a few horses. Lupines generally steer clear of the city and neighboring farmland, but Vampires would be well advised to stay out of the mountains when there is a moon out. Indeed, there have been several instances of Werewolves rampaging through the streets of downtown during the full moon. Within the limits of the Metro Area are several state universities, including the University of Colorado and the University of Denver. While there are campuses of the University of Denver in both Denver and Boulder, its noted medical school is in Denver. Private universities are also present in abundance, including the Colorado School of Mines, located in nearby Golden. Although not a cutting-edge arts leader, Denver has a thriving theatrical community, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (the DCPA) is a regular stop for touring shows. The city is also home to the Denver Broncos football team andtheir Mile High Stadium. The stadium, an outdoor arena, and its enclosed counterpart, McNichol’s Arena, are both located a few miles out of the city, right off of I-25, and during the off-seasons are the venue of choice for huge day and nighttime stadium concerts. The local music scene is small and of varying quality, although one can easily find live, original music every night of the week in the numerous bars and clubs. Denver also has many museums, though the largest are the Denver Art Museum and the Museum of Natural History. The latter is located in Denver’s largest city park, which it shares with the Denver Zoo. The Museum of Natural History has a Planetarium as well, and on most nights laser light shows set to rock music draw fans from throughout the mew area.